


The Indian Tale

by skyperson9



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2018-11-12 21:45:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11170689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skyperson9/pseuds/skyperson9
Summary: A story of how two unwilling people get married and end up in love unwillingly,too. Based in slightly AU India.





	1. Chapter 1

John Winchester was a man who many looked up to. A shining example of how with hard work and dedication one could rise from a penniless war veteran to the owner of a humongous automobile company. Winchester Auto was the largest automobile manufacturer in India. It had recently gone multinational, making the company shares skyrocket.

He was usually very cheerful, his handsome face with kind eyes always giving off a vibe of comfort, a major reason why he had the most number of investors. However currently, his eyes were screwed shut and he was pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

The woman sitting in front of him wasn’t being swayed. He was beginning to feel a headache forming.

Naomi Novak had that effect on people.

Since they had gone multinational, the Punjabi business man found that the cost of importing engines and the troubles that came with it wasn’t really worth it. His people had come to the conclusion that obtaining the said parts from Indian companies would save them a hell lot of money.

And Novak Tech was the go to company. The South Indian company with its head office in Chennai was world renowned for its cutting edge technology. The parts produced by them were also environment friendly making even foreign automobile companies begging to get a contract. They could have asked for a contract earlier, however Novaks rarely signed new contracts. The century old company was very picky. There was no way that they would have considered Winchester Auto in its budding stages.

After countless calls and pulling in almost all favors, John had managed to snag a meeting with Naomi Novak, the ‘advisor’ of Novak Tech. Though the company was now run by her eldest sons, Michael and Lucifer, she held true power.

The meeting was taking place at The Taj Hotel, Mumbai, where the headquarters of Winchester Auto was located. The entire floor booked so that they wouldn’t be disturbed.

Naomi brought Gabriel, second born after the twins, and a few nerds along with her. Accounting from the looks of nerds. John had brought Bobby Singer and his younger son Sam Winchester. They were his best deal closers.

So far, Naomi had been the one to do the talking. Gabriel just looked on with a smirk, sucking a lollypop.

The meeting started about two hours ago.

John tilted his head to the right to look at Bobby Singer. His friend, the primary investor, looked absolutely murderous. He had talked for about an hour to the _Madrasi_ , yet had been unable to convince Naomi to back down from their high price. Sighing, he looked to his left where Sam was pointing to their sales figures and gestured wildly. He had turned on his puppy eyes to the maximum setting. Usually, people would be falling over themselves to sign the contract. But one look at the Novaks told him that it wasn’t working.

“Okay” he said, cutting off Sam who was explaining the benefits of this deal again.

“Let’s cut to the chase. You want the deal. Else you wouldn’t be here. Why don’t you tell us what you really want? _You_ know that the price you’re quoting is ridiculous, _we_ know that the price you’re quoting is ridiculous. So why are you quoting it?”

Naomi inclined her head, a calculating yet impressed look in her eyes. However at her side, Gabriel broke into a grin.

“We have looked into your company and I must say that it is quite impressive for a company that is barely a decade old.”

Sam preened a bit at that, however John simply waited for the inevitable but.

“But we always go in for long term contracts. A decade for minimum. This way it is easy for us improve upon the technology and add the latest ones. We invest a lot of time and money from our end. We are not exactly sure where your company stands. You have only recently gone multinational. Our analysts predict rapid growth for your company. And that makes us unsure.”

“Unsure how?” Bobby asked with a glare. If she had said all this a couple of hours ago, he wouldn’t be needing is blood pressure tablet right now.

It was Gabriel who spoke now, the lollypop temporarily being twirled in his fingers.

“You might find other manufacturers. Of course we are the best in the world, however it’s no secret that we sell at high prices. You might want a cheaper producer than us.”

“We would never compromise on quality!” Sam said indignantly.

“I never said you would” Gabriel winked at him. “It’s just a possibility. You cannot be sure of the future.”

“But isn’t that why we are signing the damn contract!” Sam exclaimed.

“Oh! Please. The contract which, if, we will be signing of course will be water tight with no wiggle room. But there are lawyers who can break them and still staying on the right side of the law.”

“What do you propose?” John asked calmly. The Novaks wanted the deal too. And they were right. With the amount of corruption rampant in the country, their concerns weren’t unfounded. Of course that made the Winchesters looked like they would break the contract. But that was beside the point. They needed the contract damn it.

“A more binding contract. A merger of sorts” Naomi intoned.

Sam gasped audibly.

“You want to buy my company?” John almost shouted, angrily.

“No. I want one of my sons married to one of yours” Naomi stated simply.

John’s emotions was all over the place. From being angry to shocked to calculating to finally, joy. This was good, this was very good.

A marriage was one of the oldest way to ensure that the families didn’t double cross each other. And all the individual family assets would become common. Not to mention the incredible hike in share prices when news got out about the marriage. This benefited both the families.

John smiled and Naomi returned it.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Another hour later the meeting hall was deserted of business suits. Two messages were send separately. Each tilting the world of its recipients completely.

**From: Sam**

**To: Dean**

_You’re getting married._

**From: Gabriel**

**To Castiel:**

_U’re g8tin married!! >;)_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Glad to see that you people are curious about this little Indian based AU.  
> Let me explain a bit about this AU. In this universe, anybody can marry anybody. M/M, M/F, or F/F. Also about the offspring. Here natural conception, surrogacy, adoption or any other method of becoming parents is treated equally. Nothing is frowned upon. All in all, what most of us expect how our world should ideally be.  
> And a little bit about the situation in India. Arranged marriage is still a widely prevalent practice. 99% of the times parents tend to find matches from their own caste in arranged marriages. The caste system is basically like racial discrimination but on the basis of what your ancestors used to do. The priests were considered to be the higher caste and the menial job workers the lower castes. And the rest fall in between. People are categorized into castes based on the family they are born into. If your ancestor was of higher caste then so are you. Caste based discrimination is still present. This AU does not include castes.  
> Inter-caste and Inter-religion marriages are very rarely seen. However things are changing. The educated from the cities, prefer love marriage. But that still, is a small percentage.  
> India is divided into states and each state has its own culture. This makes India have a dizzying amount of differences from one place to another.  
> In this fic, The Winchesters are Punjabi and the Novaks are Tamilians. This Tamil-Punjabi wedding trope is a much used one in India and it’s a fun one too. The marrying of those two cultures is something I personally enjoy.  
> Hope that clears some of your doubts @Stormicats, @RavensCAT. If you have any more questions do ask. :D

**The Winchesters**

John - Mary

Dean

Sam

**The Novaks**

Chuck-Naomi

Michael-Gadreel

Lucifer-Raphael

Gabriel-Kali(deceased)

Balthazar (self-proclaimed eternal bachelor)

Castiel

Anna

/-/-/-/-/

Castiel was rudely awoken from his fitful sleep by his alarm. He grabbed blindly for his phone which was under his pillow (that would explain the vibration in his brain) and switched the alarm off. He pulled the blankets over his head, trying to burrow deeper into his pillow. He didn’t want to wake up and face the day. However it proved to be an exercise in futility when his blanket was ripped from him and he felt someone settle on the bed and place their head on his stomach.

“Wake up Cassie!”

“Go away, Balthazar” he groaned, his voice roughened even more with sleep.

“Wake up, wake up, wake up” he began to chant.

“Act like your age Balthy. Go away, I don’t want to wake up” he said trying to blindly smack at his brother’s face. He was blocked effectively.

“I know you don’t like this, Cassie. But mother always wants the best for us. Well and the best for the company” he said, twisting to look at Castiel with a wry grin.

Castiel sighed. This wasn’t something he ever wanted to think about, let alone when he was barely awake. In a quick movement he turned to his side, dislodging Balthy from him. That made his brother’s head hit the bed with an Oompf which in turn made Castiel grin with his eyes closed. But all his plans to try and continue his sleep was dashed with a finality when he heard his mother’s voice.

He sat up with a sigh, Balthy following suit immediately, and looked at the blurry image of his mother. His right hand automatically found his glasses on the bedside drawer.

Naomi was already ready, clad in a dark violet silk saree, hair plaited and adorned with a string of jasmine flowers.

“Balthazar! What are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to be getting ready? And you, Castiel, why aren’t you awake yet? Hurry up, you two. We need to be on our way in 30 minutes.”

“Yes, mother” they both said in unison. She just spared them a glance, before going downstairs and give the same treatment to their father.

Balthazar stood up and looked at his little brother. He took in the dark circles under those stark blue eyes, the slightly hunched set of his shoulders and the downward set of his permanently chapped lips.

“It’ll be alright, Cassie” he said, his voice laced with affection.

Castiel looked at his elder brother, the one who was so much like Gabriel. Both weren’t much for showing or talking about emotions, but they cared deeply. He smiled, trying to take comfort in his brother’s words. He held out his hand, so that Balthy could pull him out of his comfortable bed. Because seriously, he would never be able to leave it willingly. Balthazar grinned.

“Atta boy!” he said, taking Castiel’s hand and pulling him up.

/-/-/-/-/

They were going to Lord Venkateshwara temple in Tirupati. It took a little more than an hour to reach from Chennai. Usually it took a common man around 12 hrs in a queue to get darshan of the lord. However, since the Novak family was the one who was responsible for the golden dome of the temple, they were always let in immediately. No waiting in queues.

Naomi had insisted that they show their gratitude to the gods for such a wonderful alliance by visiting the temple.

Castiel was riding shotgun, his father on the wheel. Anna, Balthazar and his mother in the back. Despite the abundance of chauffeurs, Chuck always insisted on driving. The booker prize winning author enjoyed driving, his second love to writing. They would be there in less than twenty minutes and then would show their thanks by donating a ridiculous amount of money to the Temple Trust, to provide free lunch for the devotees every day for the entire year. Given that an average of 50,000 people visited every day, the ridiculous amount was necessary.

Castiel scoffed as he looked at the scenery whizzing past his window. He wasn’t even remotely thankful for his situation.

He had been on his way from college when he had received that message from Gabriel. He had thought his mischievous brother was just pulling a trick on him. Lord knows, he had survived so many of his tricks, usually cruel, when growing up. He had asked his chauffeur to crank up the air conditioning in the Audi as he typed his response.

**From: Castiel**

**To: Gabriel**

_Not falling for it._

Instantly he could see the typing bubble appear on the screen.

**From: Gabriel**

**To: Castiel**

_It’s serious, Cassie._

And that was when Castiel felt himself begin to sweat, even though the temperature in the car was enough to make one shiver. Gabe always, always, used emoticons. Even in formal texts and mail, much to the chagrin of his advisors. And the lack of those made his stomach swan dive.

Marriage? Now? But he was only 22. Who was he getting married to? Moreover what about his education? He had just started his final year of medicine. He immediately called his brother. But Gabe cut the call.

**From: Gabriel**

**To: Castiel**

_Not now. Flight about to take off. Mother will talk to you, once we get home._

The tendrils of fear and anger began to grip him. However, he fought hard against the grip. This was his life. He had the ultimate control over it and didn’t he have a say in it?

Apparently he did but it might as well equate to nothing.

His mother had calmly told him that he was to marry the eldest son of John Winchester. His name was Dean and he was the head of the product design and development, basically the brain behind the new generation of cars the Winchester Auto was reputed for.

“But I don’t want to be married right now” he had said, proud that his voice didn’t betray his inner turmoil.

“And why is that?” Naomi had asked, not unkindly.

“I want to study. Do specialization courses and open my own hospital. I want to be independent. I don’t want marriage distracting me from my goals.”

“Oh! Honey. I’m really proud of you.” His mother’s eyes did shine with pride. “It’s wonderful that you have such high goals. But none of this has to change. The Winchesters have no problem in you continuing your education. They are even willing to fund it. The groom will be staying in Chennai with you, until you finish your education. He’ll be working from here and fly to Mumbai if needed. Then after you finish, you both can decide where to go from there. You’d just be studying from your own home. The household will be managed by hired help, it would be no different from your life here.”

Castiel was glad that they were having this conversation in his room. This was something he really needed to be sitting down for. His mother on the chair next to his bed.

God! She wasn’t understanding. How could he even begin to explain? Marriage of course changes people. He was being expected to look after a stranger. Share his future, raise children and spend the rest of his life with a stranger. Oh! Children. Yes, they’d be expected to have a kid within the year. How the hell is he supposed to educate himself when he would be busy raising a kid? It was easy for the other guy who was 29, already finished with his education and being independent. Doing the family business and all.

He hadn’t shied away from speaking his mind to Naomi.

“Honey, children are something that you need to discuss with your husband. You are not obligated to do anything, just because the society expects it. Remember that he shares half the responsibilities with you. But tell me this Castiel, is there any other reason you don’t want to marry?”

He understood the meaning of the question. His mother was asking if he was in love with another. Castiel thought of all the dates he had rejected, of all the blocked numbers and deleted Facebook requests. Would things have been different if he had said yes when somebody asked him out on a date? Had done something about a crush, instead of waiting for it to fade out?

He had been focused only on his studies and had told himself that he would someday marry someone of his parent’s choice and love them, no matter who they are. But he had never in a million years thought that would be now. Maybe when he was 27 or 28. But right now? Not so much.

“No. But mom…” he said reverting to the way he referred to his mother when he was a kid, his voice just a bit gruffer but the tone was the same.

“Castiel, this is a good match. I’m not saying this just for the contract. I love you and want only the best for you. The Winchesters will adore you, I’m sure of it. Dean is a remarkable man and he will take good care of you. This marriage will make you and our family happy.”

And that was it. Emotional blackmail was something he was never good at resisting. His mother had a counter argument for each of his points. Also he’d always been a good little soldier. Always doing his best to please his parents. The only time he had come close to stray away from their wishes was for the choice of his career. All his siblings had taken engineering and graduated from IITs. He had felt no lure towards it. He was good at math but biology was something that had always fascinated him. He had expected his parents to be disappointed when he wanted to pursue medicine. However they had just smiled, as if they somehow knew it was bound to happen, when he had nervously stuttered out that he wanted to prepare for the All India Medical Entrance. He had topped the exam with flying colors of course. But he didn’t want to leave the comforts of his family and go to Delhi for studying. Instead he chose a government college in Chennai.

And now he was being told that he had to leave them. It felt like they were kicking him out.

“Sleep on it. You will see the wisdom behind this decision” Naomi said as she kissed his forehead.

She left Castiel to stew in his own thoughts after saying goodbye. He had laid on his bed for what felt like an hour before turning to switch off the light. His hand had been on the switch when he heard the knock on the door.

It was his father.

As soon as his father had sat down on his bed, all Castiel wanted to do was let his composure brake down. Yet he just laid his head on Chuck’s shoulder. They sat quietly for some time.

“Castiel. Castiel, honey look at me.”

He didn’t want to, for the fear that he might cry.

“Look at me” Chuck said insistently.

Reluctantly Castiel lifted his head. Chuck looked directly into those deep blue eyes. “This marriage won’t happen without your consent. You meet the groom first and talk to him. If you find that you would be happy with him, only then will this marriage happen. It doesn’t matter what your mother says. The contract doesn’t matter. I will make sure of that. Nothing is more important to us than your happiness. Alright?” he asked, searchingly.

Castiel took a shuddering breath. He nodded.

“Good. Now get some rest. Your mother wants to go to Tirupati tomorrow.”

And with that Castiel had been left alone with his thoughts for a second time. He loved his parents. His family. He knew how much the company would benefit from this alliance. And the Winchesters seemed to be very accommodating, more so than what was the norm. Maybe it was because they benefited equally from this. Families which refused to let a partner work or continue their education weren't unheard of. Unless he found a glaring reason to hate this Dean, it looked like this marriage was going to happen. But, no matter how good the family and the groom was, he wasn’t ready for marriage. Be barely felt like an adult, he wanted to discover the world for himself. Earn on his own and live independently. He didn’t want feel like sharing his life.

The only way to stop this was if Dean rejected him.

Castiel’s thoughts returned to the present, when he felt the car come to a halt. Opening the door, he began to feel the cool air tickle his legs. The temple had a dress code in place. Only traditional dresses were allowed. The Novak men were all wearing white silk-cotton shirts and veshtis. Anna was wearing a green chudidar. She had been constantly complaining about not being able to wear her jeans, even though Naomi kept assuring her that it was hardly for a couple of hours.

Together they alighted, barefoot, and were instantly greeted by one of the Temple’s trustees. The loud speakers were blaring out devotional songs. The mid-morning sun trying it’s best to increase the temperature after a brief spell of early morning rain. With the man leading, they made their way to the counter where they were supposed to deposit all sorts of electronic items. Some of the passersby gawked at them. Maybe because they all looked like they had won some genetic lottery or maybe because they recognized them. It didn’t matter. They barely noticed these things.

Castiel unlocked his phone and touched on the gallery icon. He hung back a little and walked slowly as he looked at the latest image. Gabe had sent it last night when he had been on the edge of his sleep. It was the picture of the groom. Apparently the man was on Instagram and Gabriel had snooped a bit to get the image. Dean Winchester was definitely easy on the eyes. In the photo he was leaning against a sleek black car and grinning, his eyes crinkling. He was wearing a green Henley shirt with black jeans.

He looked at the picture one last time before he switched off the device and handed it over. He knew what he was going to pray for.

Make Dean Winchester reject him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For what Cas's dress looks like:  
> https://5.imimg.com/data5/WN/JK/MY-37022151/men-s-dhoti-250x250.jpg
> 
> I have written Castiel's POV as a woman from India faced with arranged marriage. All mistakes are my own. The next chapter will be from Dean's POV.  
> Your kudos and comments make my day! Thank you! :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jiju : brother in law

The private jet gave another lurch due to turbulence and it was one lurch too many for Dean.

His stomach succeeded in sending his breakfast all the way up, but his mouth fought valiantly to keep the contents from spilling to the floor. Damn, he should have laid off on those parathas. But they had been so buttery and stuffed with potatoes. How could he resist?

“Dean? Are you alright man?” his brother asked, his floppy mop of hair falling into his eyes.

He swallowed down the bile with some effort and glared at his brother.

“Do I look okay to you, Sammy?”

“Uh…no. Anyway, if you’re gonna hurl, here you go” he said handing him a barf bag. “Use this, not my shoes, okay?” And with that he went to reading on his kindle.

Dean would argue but what’s the point? Sam was just stating facts. He did tend to puke on his little brother’s shoes, mostly on purpose. Heh.

God! He hated flying.

Trying to distract himself from his queasy stomach and the fact that they were currently hurtling at whatever high speed in a flying death trap, he looked around.

His dad was deep in conversation with Bobby. His mom and Ellen were having an animated conversation. He could hear words like caterers and florists being thrown around. He rolled his eyes. Trust Mary to get excited even though they don’t even have a date for his 'impending' nuptials.

Dean sighed. His marriage. 

When he was a kid, Dean used to imagine that he would marry a very pretty person and they would kiss and live happily ever after. Yeah, blame Disney for that one. And when he began to date he realized that it was a bit hard to find the person he wanted to make his happily ever after with. His teens passed and so did his early twenties. It seemed like people were more interested in the brand which he represented or his unusually-pretty-for-a-guy face. Not for who he was on the inside (yeah yeah, I sound like a chick) and what he had to say.

 A few years back there was Lisa. They had met at an automobile expo and there was an instant connection. The liked the same stuff and got along really well. They went out for a few months. At one point he had thought that maybe she was the one but then the initial spark just faded. They both sensed it and decided to just stay friends. Dean was glad that the breakup hadn’t been messy. Lisa was one of his best friends.

He hadn’t lost hope though. He was sure there was somebody out there. He just needed to find them.

When his dad announced that he had found an alliance for him in the Novak family, he threw up a huge fight. Of course, the marriage would be a huge boost to the company but what about his choices? He wanted to marry someone he loved. Not a stranger.

John had lost his temper at him. Dean had always been the obedient one. Had been the one to follow all his father’s orders. But this was his life damn it. He should be the one calling the shots. His father was not listening to any of it. Dean had simply left in anger.

After he calmed down, he thought it through. The marriage would definitely benefit both the families. Given that he was currently single, in his parents eyes there was no reason for him to not marry. They would somehow convince him. This marriage was going to happen whether he liked it or not. Didn't mean that it should last.

He let the thoughts spin in his mind and worked through them. He had come up with a plan.

Oh! yes, he would meet the guy and talk to him.

And that was why they were now headed to Chennai to meet his groom. They would be given sometime to have a heart to heart. And if they both agreed then it was all systems go.

The plane lurched again and Dean almost reached for the paper bag. He groaned. Why couldn’t they have just driven? 

Thankfully their pilot announced that they would be landing shortly and the hostess asked them to fasten their seat belts. He hadn’t removed the seat belt since he buckled them on, so he just gripped his arm rests tightly.

Sam hummed beside him and was jiggling his legs. He looked like an over-grown golden retriever, minus the wildly wagging tail. His brother noticed him stare and shrugged.

“I’m really excited to see,  _jiju_ ” he said with a grin.

Oh! Yes the added mystery. As soon as they were out of the meeting Sammy had started scouring the net on Castiel. There was the standard Wikipedia info. He was apparently a medical student, topper of his college. However even with his brother’s mad computer skills (Sasquatch’s words), he was unable to find a picture. The dude apparently didn’t have any social network account. That hadn’t deterred Sam. He went through Gabriel Novak and Balthazar Novak’s various social media accounts. They were the ones known for their extravagant parties at their chain of hotels. Yet, not a peep on Castiel. That somehow made Sam think that Castiel would be perfect for him. Apparently Dean was too social and Castiel’s lack of social media account indicated that he wasn’t much of a people person. See, Sam believed all that crap about opposites attract. That old sap.

 _Maybe he just wants you to be happy,_ his brain whispered. Like every other time, he simply buried touchy-feely thoughts.

Anyway Dean had heard about the stereotype of how south Indians were really private and kept to themselves. That they were always serious and didn’t know how to have fun. But it was just that, a stereotype. He had people from the south working at his company and they were just as easy going and jovial as any north Indians. Maybe Castiel didn’t really like social media.

The Novaks must have sent a photo to his parents. But since they hadn’t brought it up, he didn’t ask for it either. It didn’t matter, he was going to see the dude soon.

/-/-/-/-/-/

The ride from the airport to the Novak Residence was a short one. Since it was mid-morning there wasn’t much traffic. Apparently their little meeting had to take place at an auspicious hour, which didn’t start until after eleven.

The Novaks welcomed them warmly. Introductions were made and Dean tried his best to not squirm.

It proved to be impossible when he was sure that he was being assessed and examined. Of course that was why they were here wasn’t it? At least most of them were being subtle. Gabriel and Balthazar wouldn’t fall under the subtle category, though. Those two were making Dean feel like a bug under a microscope. He didn't let that bother him. They were just looking out for their brother. The youngest Novak, Anna, gave him wide eyed and curious looks. It was sweet. 

The Winchesters and the Singers were sitting comfortably on plush cushions in the living room making small talk with their hosts.

 The house itself was huge and spacious. The theme being white and cream. It looked like one of those houses on Architecture digest but a lot homier.

Dean, after politely answering questions about his job and his interests, sat quietly next to Sam. He placed a hand on Sam’s leg when he saw that his baby brother was literally bouncing in his seat. Sam gave him a sheepish look. If he were feeling more comfortable, he would have laughed. It was hilarious how Sammy was excited to see Dean’s groom than Dean was.

“Shall I call Castiel?” Naomi asked. A quick glance at the designer clock showed that it was just after eleven.

“Yes, please do” Mary said. An expectant look on her face. Naomi sent Anna to fetch Castiel.

Dean had to force himself to lift his head and not keep his eyes glued to the floor when he heard the slight tinkling of china. 

He could almost feel his brother’s grin but he was totally focused on the man entering the room.

Even from a distance Dean could tell that his eyes were blue. The kind of blue which was very difficult to mix and get right when one was trying to paint. The lavender dress shirt and black slacks covering his lithe body gave him a sharp look. His dark hair seemed to carefully styled in a casual disarray. He looked beautiful. However his expression was of utmost concentration and Dean wondered why.

It was only then he noticed the large tray he was carrying. He was balancing it and trying to walk without hunching. The tray was filled with cups, which he could tell was filled with chai from the aroma wafting from it.

Castiel served them all with the hot beverage and when he brought the tray to Dean, so that he could take a cup, their eyes met.

Dean was impressed that Castiel held his stare.

As soon as the tray was empty, a maid seemed to appear out of thin air and took it from him. Castiel then proceeded to sit next to his mother.

“What area do you plan to specialize in, honey?” Mary asked him.

“I haven’t decided yet but I am leaning towards cardiology.”

Wow. Either the dude just woke up or he gargled rocks for fun. Dean had never heard a voice so gravelly.

“That’s so cool. I heard that it was a difficult course but I’m sure it’ll be simple for you” Sam said. Okay, so his brother was totally in love with his jiju, just after hearing one sentence. Castiel inclined his head, accepting the compliment and smiled, nothing more than a twitch of his lips, at Sam.

Dean could see Sam preen a bit in his periphery.

His family took turns asking some questions and he was content to just listen. It wasn’t like an interview. From the looks of it, his family and the Singers seemed to be quite taken with Castiel. They just wanted to know more about him. He was already selected.

After a few minutes Chuck spoke.

“I believe it’s time we let these two talk privately” he said.

“Yes, of course” John said. And with that they all cleared and headed to the dining room to have lunch, leaving them alone.

Sam gave Dean a thumbs-up before leaving. Green eyes spied Gabriel and Balthazar pat Castiel on the back when they left. He noticed how the line of tension on the shoulders relaxed a bit at the contact.

A heavy awkward silence settled in the room. Both of them looking elsewhere waiting for the other to speak.

Dean cleared his throat and racked his mind on how to begin.

“Do you mind if we take a walk?” that gravelly voice asked.

He immediately looked at Castiel and was once again taken aback by their color. Dean was lost in the stare for some time before he realized that he had been asked a question.

“Uh...Yes.” He cursed himself for stuttering.

There was that smile again. A tiny quirk of lips. It vanished before he could blink but he was sure it was there.

He stood up when Castiel did and followed him through the French doors, which opened to the gardens, with a smile of his own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are my own! Feel free to point out any errors and I'll correct them asap. :D


	4. Chapter 4

Dean enjoyed the feel of the cool breeze that caressed his face. The Novak’s garden was actually a mini jungle. All sort of exotic and endemic trees and plants were growing in a vibrant harmony. He took his time looking around. He could sense that his companion needed some time to arrange his thoughts and he wasn’t complaining. He was used to the immense beauty of acres and acres of wheat fields in Punjab. This view was quite different to what he saw at home.  
Their silent stroll ended when Castiel took a seat in a park bench placed under a huge banyan tree. Dean followed suit, keeping a respectful distance between them.  
His posture was relaxed and calm as opposed to his companion’s, who was sitting straight backed and stiff. Castiel was looking straight ahead.  
“My parents tell me that we would be staying in Chennai so that I can continue my education” Castiel said without any preamble.  
“Yeah, that’s right.”  
“And you don’t have a problem with that?” Castiel asked, frowning a little.  
“Okay, first let me ask you something" Dean countered instead of answering.   
Castiel nodded.  
“Do you want to get married?” Dean asked bluntly.  
Castiel was startled. He knew a lot was depending upon this marriage and he didn’t want to say something accidently and ruin the chances.  
“My parents, my mother in particular, seem to think that it is for the best” he said carefully.  
Dean smiled. “Hey, this talk is between you and me. You can be frank. I’m not asking about what your parents think is best. I’m asking about your opinion.”  
Castiel fidgeted a bit and cast his eyes down. “I must admit, marriage is not on the top of my priority list.”  
“I thought so” Dean said with a grin. Castiel tilted his head to the side and looked at Dean with confusion.  
“I do not believe in this arranged marriage stuff. This tradition is way too old fashioned. You gotta fall in love first and then fall into marriage. That’s my motto. Say Castiel, you in love with someone?”  
Castiel blushed furiously. “No.”  
“Well that’s great. That would have complicated my plan.”  
“Your plan?” Castiel asked.  
“Yes. The main aim of this marriage is to let the world know that the Novaks and the Winchesters are collaborating. Hell, the people are already excited, you can guess that from the rise in both our stock prices. I say we get married. I’ll be in Punjab taking care of the auto business and you’ll be in Chennai continuing your studies. We might be expected to attend certain traditional ceremonies but that can be arranged easily. We do this for a year and a half maybe. By the time, our collaborated products would have been in the market.”  
“And the products obviously will be superior in the market” Castiel continued with a small quirk of his lips. “It wouldn’t matter anymore to the shareholders whether we are married or not.”  
Dean wiggled his eyebrows and Castiel laughed at that.  
“And then we get a divorce” Dean said.  
“A divorce” Castiel echoed.  
/-/-/-/-/-/  
Castiel felt as though a huge weight had been lifted from his chest. Even Dean noticed the sparkle that had crept back into the blue orbs.  
The walk back to the house was more relaxed. This marriage wasn’t the forever deal that Castiel had dreamed a marriage to be. It wasn’t something that would put his world into a dizzying spin. It was a means to an end.  
“We better keep this deal between ourselves” Dean said as they passed under an archway of blooming wisteria. “If our families get even a slightest whiff of our plan, they’ll try to convince us.”  
“I agree. After a year or so if they find us to be unhappy then, they wouldn’t argue about the divorce.”  
They both smiled at each other, relieved at how well things had turned out.   
They picked up pace when the house came into view. Their families were sitting and chatting at the patio. They all hushed down when they saw the couple.  
Sam grinned broadly. Castiel didn’t look pissed or upset. Things were already looking up.   
As soon as Dean noticed that julab jamuns was being served, he made a beeline to the trays where the sweet was kept and started to stuff his mouth with them.  
Mary tried to admonish him discreetly but Naomi just smiled and asked the help to get more.  
Chuck went and stood next to Castiel, who was trying to not smile at Dean’s antics.  
“Castiel?”   
It was just one word, yet he knew what his father was asking.  
“Yes” he said without hesitance.


	5. Chapter 5

“So…” Sam drawled with glee. “What changed your mind?”

Dean did his best to ignore his over grown puppy of a brother and concentrated on just breathing through his mouth. The plane was going through some rough turbulence and his mind was literally just screaming _‘We’re all going to die’_ on loop.

“Was it his pretty face? Or his gravelly voice” Sam goaded him.

If Dean wasn’t panicking, he would have blushed. Castiel was very handsome, there was no doubt in that. And yes, his voice was very…different. Good different. As it were, he just glared at Sam.

“Shut up, Sammy” he whined. “Your voice is giving me a headache.”

Sam just grinned and began to excitedly click away on his laptop. Dean didn’t need to peek at the screen to know what he was doing. He was probably looking into some wedding-y stuff. Maybe ways to intricately braid his moose hair with flowers. Dean didn’t need to worry about having a sister. Samantha was more than enough.

He pushed his seat all the way back and turned on his side. Taking the blanket provided by their air hostess he pulled it up over his head. It was similar to an ostrich sticking its head into the ground. If he can’t see it, then he can pretend that he is not in a metal death tube hurtling away in the sky.

In the somewhat privacy of his cocoon, Dean finally let himself relax. He was lucky. He had to admit that he had been nervous. The south was known for its strong traditional believes. Arranged marriages were prevalent and parents were strictly against the idea of dating. If Castiel had been the type to believe in the old values, Dean would have had to tell no to the arrangement. He didn’t want to break some poor schmuck’s heart with his ‘modern’ romantic ideals. But thank the lord, Castiel had been amendable to the idea. He had been more than amendable, actually.

Now all he needed to do was just ‘smile and wave’ for a year. And then…well, he’ll cross the bridge when he gets there.

He sighed and then groaned as the plane lurched violently before steadying again.

/-/-/-/-/-/

For someone else the staring and pointing would be a source of concern and irritation, but not for Castiel.

Today was his first day in college after the announcement of the wedding. And he was suddenly the centre of attention for his peers. Since the release of the news, it felt as if there were eyes on Castiel all the time. But he wasn’t unnerved. One look at the people staring at him and they would immediately look away.

The Novaks and the Winchesters had jointly announced the news of the wedding in a press conference, a week after the Winchesters visit to Chennai. The tabloids and the papers had had a field day over the news. His parents had been over the phone almost constantly, accepting the best wishes of their clients, board members and relatives. 

Bella, the public relations head of Novak Tech, was even more…herself than usual. She had come to warn Castiel about the attention he would receive and to not attend any calls from unknown numbers. Everybody wanted an interview with Castiel. She was under strict orders to not let that happen. Naomi had given explicit orders that Castiel should not be disturbed in anyway. Now, Bella had to tactfully tell no to all requests for interview, instead of outright saying it. And the Winchesters seemed to be doing the same. Dean hadn’t appeared on any news or tabloid.

The couple’s absence didn’t seem to deter the media one bit. They speculated whether Dean and Castiel had been dating secretly. Whether they had planned to elope and their families found out, that’s why the marriage announcement was so sudden. Tv channels had astrologers predict the strength of the match. Castiel had had a good laugh when all of them declared unanimously, that it was a match made in heaven and would last forever.

He continued to go by his schedule as if nothing had changed. Sure, he would be the first in his batch to get married. But this happened all over the country. He took it in stride. After all his family came first, and it wasn’t like this situation was going to be permanent. He smirked at the thought.

Dean wasn’t at all how Castiel had thought he would be. He was a bit chagrined when he realized that he had judged him by his looks from that Instagram photo. There was a general opinion that Punjabis were very loud and boisterous. It was quite true if their weddings were anything to go by. However, Dean looked like a very happy-go-lucky man and quite relaxed. Castiel’s plan had been to converse with Dean initially, find what his expectations were and then make sure that he portrayed himself least suitable to fulfill those expectations. The other, however had been direct and Castiel had been more than relieved to know that they both were on the same page regarding the wedding.

He had been extremely wound up since receiving the news of his impending marriage.  After the meeting he finally felt like he could breathe. A year would fly by in no time at all.

He was on his way to the library when someone yelled his name. He looked over his shoulder, curious if anyone finally had the courage to talk _to_ him instead of talking _about_ him.

Castiel smiled as he saw Kevin jog towards him. Kevin was three years younger than him, but they were both in the same year in college. He was home schooled and was very bright, finishing school and clearing the medical entrance exam at the age of fifteen which was not a small feat. Castiel knew all this because he had been sitting next to a very proud Mrs. Tran in the Principal’s waiting room, much to the chagrin of a blushing Kevin.

“Hello, Kevin” he said, as the other huffed and puffed after reaching him.

“I wanted to congratulate you” he said, once he had caught his breath. Castiel didn’t quite understand why people were congratulating for getting married. He hadn’t achieved anything. He was merely part of an event entirely orchestrated by his parents. When he had expressed this to Balthazar, his brother had given a look.

“They’re offering their best wishes. You don’t need to read too much into it. Just thank them in return.”

And that is what he had been doing.

“Thank you”

“Also…uh…” Kevin scratched the back of his neck and looked down at his feet.

Castiel waited patiently for Kevin to ask whatever he was struggling with.

After a few minutes of fidgeting he spoke in a rush.

“You’re not being forced into this marriage, are you?” His eyes were full of concern.

Castiel blinked and felt a sudden warmth in his chest. He counted Kevin as his friend, maybe the only one in his college, and he was touched to know that his friend cared.

“No, not at all” he answered sincerely. Kevin seemed to relax at that.

“That’s great, man” he said and offered him a one-armed hug. Castiel tried his best to return it without being stiff.

“Going to the library?” Castiel nodded. “Great, I gotta return some books, I’ll come with you.”

And that was that. Kevin didn’t make a big deal of it. Would be great, if everybody reacted in the same manner. Yeah, right.

/-/-/-/-/-/-/

Dean was in a good mood. Today’s work in the office had been extremely satisfying. A small bug which had been throwing off an entire car design had been finally resolved, thanks to Dean’s detailed analysis. The beauty was frigging finally ready for manufacturing.

He hummed the latest Arjit Singh’s hit as he parked the Impala. He liked heavy metal and rock, but let it never be said that he couldn’t appreciate good music.

As soon as he reached the door, he could see that his entire family crowded in the living room. His mother and father were seated on the couch and Sam had spread his gigantor self on the floor. On closer observation, he could see that his mother’s smart phone was on speaker and placed on the coffee table.

“Chuck and I will be going to the astrologer tomorrow. He’ll give us a few dates and then we can choose an appropriate one” Naomi’s voice could be heard.

No matter what he told himself, Dean still felt his stomach drop when he thought about the wedding. In his mind the wedding was something, that would take place in a far-off future. Yes, he had come to some sort of an unofficial agreement with Castiel, but he was still uncomfortable with the whole idea of arranged marriage. Maybe, his subconscious was already worried about the fallout when they would announce their divorce. It was nothing but classic Dean Winchester thought process.

He tried to sneak past his engrossed family. He was almost at the stairs leading to his room.

“Yes, that will be best. We also have a few dates in mind. We can fix the date once we have the auspicious date from your end. Oh…Dean honey, you’re home” his mother smiled at him.

Now that he was busted Dean gave up his plan for sneaking and came to stand a little awkwardly in front of his parents.

“Dean? How are you?” Naomi enquired.

Mary looked meaningfully at Dean who was yet to answer.

“Namaste aunty. I’m fine. How are you?”

“I’m in good health too, thanks to the lord.” Dean was about to give some lame excuse and let them continue, when he felt Sam pinch his leg.

“Ask about jiju” he hissed.

“How’s…” he grimaced, his leg stinging. Damn, that hurt. He tried to kick Sam in his face who dodged it effectively.  Damn. “How’s Castiel?”

“He’s fine too” he could hear her smile even if he couldn’t see it. “Oh! Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

“Uh…no, it's alright” he said quickly. He didn’t particularly want to talk to Castiel no matter how nice his voice was, but Naomi was already off the phone and calling for Castiel.

Mary immediately took the phone off speaker and handed it to Dean who took it a bit reluctantly. Sam seemed a bit disappointed at this development. He had hoped to hear the conversation to tease Dean later.

By the time Naomi handed the phone to Castiel, the other Winchesters had cleared the room.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Hey, Castiel.”

There was stretch was silence, becoming more and more awkward as the seconds passed.

 “Mother said you wanted to talk to me.”

“Uh…”

Castiel chuckled on the other end.

“I see you were coerced into this conversation.”

Dean could feel the awkwardness melt away a little.

“Yeah, mostly” he grinned.

“Well then, I’ll pretend to have a lovely conversation with you, that should put mother at ease.” Dean huffed a laugh at that. Looking at Castiel's serious demeanor you wouldn't think the guy was capable of humour. 

“Hey! What do you mean pretend?” he glanced around making sure that everyone was out of earshot.

“I can make a lovely conversation, thank you very much” he said mock indignantly.

Castiel laughed again. He inquired about Dean’s day and Dean returned the courtesy.

“Well that ought to do it.”

“Yeah, I think so to.”

“Goodbye, Dean.”

“Bye, Cas.”

The call ended with a click. Dean smiled. Maybe he’ll get a friend out of this whole charade. This would go much smoother and more believable if they were to become friends. He was about to go in search for his mother to return the phone when a thought stopped him in his tracks.

_Did I just call him Cas?_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
